Tube-expander hand tool



July 11, 1961 J. M. UHL

2,991,674 TUBE-EXPANDER HAND TOOL Filed April 18, 1960 M r. 40 L 7L 1 1M1 I Ill] 25 .32

I I Tfsi INVENTOR.

United States Patent Cfice 2,991,674 Patented July 11, 1961 2,991,674TUBE-'EXPANDER HAND TOOL Joseph M. Uhl, Logansport, Ind., assignor to rE Z Way, Inc. Filed Apr. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 22,992 4 Claims. (Cl. 81-15)The present invention relates to expander tools and more particularly totools for expanding and shaping automoible mufiler necks and exhaustpipes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved expandertool wherein the parts are prevented from rotating within the pipeduring the expanding operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an expandertool which is simple in construction and inexpansive to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome readily apparent from the following detailed description taken inconnection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of an expander tool embodying the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of FIGURE 1 with the tool in its contractedposition;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the tool in its expandedposition; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the tool in its expandedposition.

Referring now to the drawings, numeral designates an expander toolhaving a handle 12, :a plurality of arcuate segments 14, 16, 18 and 20disposed about a common axis to form a cylinder designated generally bythe numeral 22. A pair of annular grooves 24 and 26 are formed in theouter surface of cylinder 22 to respectively receive split ring, musicwire type springs 28 and 30 which resiliently urge the segments 16, 18and 20 radially inward- 1y. Springs 28 and 30 are disposed to lie belowthe outer surface of cylinder 22. Segment 14 is rigidly secured tohandle 12 as by Welding as shown at 32. A longitudinal conical bore ontapered socket 34 is formed in cylinder 22 to receive a conically shapedor tapered expander plug 36. A threaded bore 38 is formed in plug 36 tothreadedly receive bolt or threaded member 40 which projects through anelongated slot 42 in handle 12. A washer 44 is disposed between the headof bolt 40 and handle 12 to overlap slot 42.

Plug 36 is formed with a longitudinal groove 46 which receives a pin 48secured in segment 14 of cylinder 22.

In operation, when the tool is in its contracted position, the partsassume the positions shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 wherein plug 36 is inits maximum axially outward position and bolt 40 is adjacent the righthand edge of slot 42. To expand the tool, bolt 40 is rotated wherebyplug 36 is moved axially inwardly to thereby force segments 16, 18 and20 radially outwardly against the force of springs 28 and 30 as shown inFIGURES 4 and 5. During the expanding operation bolt 40 moves toward theleft hand edge of slot 42 as viewed in the drawings. Pin 48 in groove 46prevents plug 36 from rotating during the expanding operation.

Segment 14 being fixed to handle 12 is of course prevented from rotatingwhen the handle is held stationary during the expanding operation. Sinceonly radial move ment is imparted to segments 16, 18 and 20 by plug 36,there is no rotation of cylinder 22 while handle 12 is held stationary.

The construction of the tool of the present invention is extremelysimple and avoids expensive to manufacture 2 I designs such as tongueand groove to direct the segments radially. The fixing of one segment tothe handle and the sliding engagement of the remainder of the segmentswith the undersurface of the handle insures parallel expansion of thesegments. This is particularly important in the expansion of mufilernecks which are usually slotted at the outer end and thus have variableresistance to expansion along the axial length thereof. The tool of thepresent invention expands or restores the mufiler necks to cylindricalform without taper thus providing for the proper sealing fit of the neckwith an exhaust pipe.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown anddescribed, other modifications and arrangements of parts may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An expander tool comprising a handle, a plurality of arcuate segmentsdisposed to form a cylinder, an annular groove in said cylinder, a splitring spring in said groove substantially encircling said cylinder anddisposed radially inwardly from the outer surface of said cylinder,means for rigidly securing one of said segments to said handle, alongitudinal conically shaped bore in said cylinder, a conically shapedexpander plug slidably disposed in said bore, a longitudinal grooveformed in said plug, pin means secured to said one segment disposed insaid longitudinal groove to restrain said plug against rotation, saidhandle having an elongated slot, and a bolt projecting through said slotinto threaded engagement with said expander plug whereby rotation ofsaid bolt caluses axial movement of said plug, which in turn causesradial movement of said segments except the segment secured to saidhandle.

2. An expander tool comprising a handle, a plurality of arcuate segmentsdisposed to form a cylinder, means yieldably retaining said segments ina cylindrically shaped assembly, means for rigidly securing one of saidsegments to said handle, a longitudinal tapered socket in said cylinder,a tapered expander plug slidably disposed in said socket, said handlehaving an elongated slot, means holding said plug against rotation withrespect to said handle, a member extending through said slot intothreaded engagement with said plug, whereby rotation of said membermoves said plug axially inwardly, thereby urging said segments exceptsaid one segment radially outwardly.

3. An expander tool comprising a handle, a plurality of segmentsdisposed about a common axis to form a hollow cylinder, said cylinderhaving a tapered bore, means for rigidly securing one of said segmentsto said handle, a tapered expander plug disposed in said bore, meansoperatively connected to said plug and actuable to move said plugaxially inwardly, whereby said segments except said one segment aremoved radially outwardly, and resilient means urging said segmentsradially inwardly.

4. An expander tool comprising a plurality of arcuate segments assembledtogether in the form of a cylinder, at least one annular groove in theouter periphery of said cylinder, a split annular member of resilientmaterial disposed in said groove, said member being preformed to retainsaid segments in assembly, a conically shaped axial bore in saidcylinder, a conically shaped expander plug disposed in and shapedcomplementary to said bore, an axially extending groove in the outersurface of said plug, a pin secured to one segment and extending intosaid axial groove, said thread having a threaded coaxial bore, a bolthaving a head and threaded shank, a handle having an elongated slottherein, said shank passing through said slot and being threadedlyreceived by said threaded bore, the head of said bolt operativelyengaging said handle, said one segment being fixedly secured to saidhandle, the remaining segments having end surfaces which are flat overthe entire area thereof, said handle naving a flat- 909,182 Hart Ian.12, 1909 surface which'is slidably engaged by said end surfaces,2,273,741 Wenger Feb. 17, 1942 whereby rotation of said'boltservestomove saidplugin 2,888,847 Younkin June '2, 1959 saidcylinder bore causing said remaining segments to 2,905,226 Knorr Sept.22, 1959 move radially with respect to said one segment. 5 F R IGN P TENS References Cited in the file of this patent 54,773 Netherlands June15, 1943 535,304 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENTS578,864 France m 16, 1924 233,797 Perkins et a1 Oct. 26, 1880 10

